Movement type
Movement is an integral part of monster lethality, for how else will a monster reach the player and eat him? Movement is entirely deterministic and predictable. Monsters will move toward their target in one of a few ways, depending on whether or not there is a brain in the room. Direct-only beelining Unbrained The monster will determine which of its eight adjoining squares is closest to the player and attempts to move there (i.e, it makes a beeline for the player). If the intended move was blocked, the monster does nothing. Brained The monster moves identically to creatures that move using brained normal beelining, unless the highest priority move is blocked by a brain-invisible object. Instead of attempting the second-best move as directed by a brain, the monster will stop moving. Creatures Rock golems, Wubbas, Gel babies. Normal beelining Unbrained The monster determines which of its eight adjoining squares is closest to its target and attempts to move there (i.e, it makes a beeline for the player). If the intended move was orthogonal and the square is blocked, the roach does nothing. If the blocked move was diagonal, however, the monster will try to move vertically closer to the player or, failing that, horizontally closer. If neither horizontal or vertical movement is possible when blocked diagonally, it does nothing. Brained The monster considers the nine possible tiles it can move to (this includes waiting in place) that do not contain visible obstacles. The brain then sorts these possibilities in order of distance. If there is a tie, it will prefer ordering the monster to make an orthogonal move first, followed by waiting in its current square, followed by making a diagonal move. If the monster cannot follow the ordered move (because there is a brain-invisible object in that space), then it will try the second-best ordered move, and so on. If the brain orders the monster to wait, or gives no order at all, then it will act on its instincts and try to move as if unbrained. Creatures Roaches, Evil eyes, Spiders, Tar babies, Mud babies, Waterskippers, Fluff, Gentryii. Smart beelining Unbrained The monster moves identically to creatures that move using unbrained normal beelining, except when the path it wishes to take is blocked diagonally. In this case, rather than always prioritizing a vertical path over a horizontal path, the monster will pick the path with the longest orthogonal distance to the player. If these paths are the same distance, then the monster will default to vertical preference. Brained The monster moves identically to creatures that move using brained normal beelining, with no orthogonal peculiarity. If blocked by a brain-invisible object, the monster will revert to its natural unbrained behavior. Creatures Seep Flexible beelining Unbrained The monster moves identically to creatures that move using unbrained smart beeline, except when the monster wishes to make an orthogonal movement but is blocked. In this case, it checks the two diagonal squares adjacent to its required movement, and sees which of those is possible. If any is possible, then it will take that direction instead, effectively sidestepping the obstacle. For horizontal movement, the monster will prefer stepping to the North of obstacles rather than South, and for vertical movement, the monster will prefer stepping to the West of obstacles rather than East. Brained Flexible beelining = Construct (can step around single tile obstacles, Aumtlich move like that too except they also need to face their target before they take a step) Pathfinding = Brained seep (if they can't reach their target they also look for the closest path through obstacles) Slayer = Slayer (uses a wisp, can both hook and step to kill) Snake = Moves like any serpent Brained snake = Moves like any brained serpent Citizen Pahtfinding = A pathfinding which takes into consdieration arrows and orthosquares